In the land of Yelva teemed a copious amount of living critters.
Immense redwood trees swelled around the open area of a field with tall grass – a
nutty, yet woody, redolence wafted from the warm coloured plant life. A cool, soft
breeze from the East caressed the tips of that fine, long grass. From a short
distance away sounded the gentle pitter-patter of water splashing up against gelid
stones that lined the warmest area of soil. Along the horizon sat a crimson sun only
peeking out just above the trees as if too frightened to emit its warm and pleasant
beauty. Unfurled above the grass, that swayed at a small angle, was a soft, sparkling
mist.
It was a magical sight to experience as Little Kanine, a Riparian Brush rabbit,
stared up into that thick mist. He was enlightened, amazed, and in awe at such a
breathtaking sight. He smiled up at it with his eyes twinkling and his front paws
pressed into the warm soil. But a wave of depression engulfed his tiny, furry body.
Who was to share this moment with him? Who was there to be by his side? With this,
Little Kanine hopped off toward the river to his right and grasped his tiny paws
against the cold, damp material of a stone. For him, there was no other place to go.
His family was at war with another as they fought over the Southern lands of Yelva.
His little black eyes peered into the water below. Ripples undulated softly from the
Northern part of the river.
As Little Kanine fixed his eyes to his own sad reflection, another reflection
overlapped most of the river. In a fright due to this shocking sight, he did not know
whether to run or contain himself, for the mysterious creature may not have noticed
him yet. A foreign, wet-wood smell filled his nose from the nearby thing. Obviously
he was not from Yelva. As Little Kanine slowly lifted his soft furred head, his beady
eyes fixed onto a hoof as large as his own body. He held his breath as an immense
head with what looked like branches on top ducked down to the earth. With that,
Little Kanine let out a scream and lost his balance from the stone he rested upon.
Down he went into the wet soil surrounding the river and his fur was then covered in
a coarse mud.
The large creature, standing a rough twenty times taller and wider than Little
Kanine, lifted its head from the water. It stared into the mud with a peckish
expression upon its face. The thing was a mere, young buck that exhibited pride and
courage upon his hard face. His hooves pounded against the earth and the resulting
noise was that of thunder – a sweep and an earsplitting crack. The antlers atop his
head stretched far into the sky like yearning fingers.
To Little Kanine, that must have been the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
Truly, he had nothing to say; he simply stared agape at the elegant creature as it
ducked its head once more to sip at the crisp, cold water. “Mister Buck,” said
he, for he thought that that must have been the most polite way to greet someone
foreign in an awkward situation. “I do sincerely apologize for impeding on your
daily buck-like routines, but from where do you come?”
With Little Kanine's words, the buck chuckled low under his breath.
Appalled by this answer, Little Kanine's fur stood on edge and ruffled up at the back
of his neck. “Why must you laugh at me in such a way?” he asked, or more spat
out.
“Your words are funny,” replied the buck in a smooth and velvety tone.
Little Kanine's furry cheeks darkened from the warm sound of the buck's voice. His
head ducked down slightly. “You must have traveled such a great distance, Mister
Buck,” he mumbled softly. “From where do you come?”
The buck bent his legs and nestled himself in the warm grass. His eyes wandered about
the new lands. Then, he answered, “From Toukta.”
“How were you not slaughtered by our most feral enemies?” By this time, Little
Kanine had hopped over the river to sit at a distance on the same lands from the
buck.
“All of the animals are gone,” said the buck. “There are no others left. I've
traveled a long way, yes. But to no avail, I couldn't even find my own family. There
is nothing worth left of Toukta. The lands are wiped clean of food and water. I
separated myself from my own group in order to start a better life. I don't think I
can find such a thing for myself either. At least I have water and this grass to
accompany me.”
“And me,” said Little Kanine quietly, but the buck had not heard his sheepish
tone. Instead of repeating himself once more, he dashed into a field of bushes and
bolted back with a bundle of leaves between his jaws. He spit them out with a smile.
“Sweet leaves,” he chirped. “These are my favourite, I want you to have such a
divine snack.”
But the buck turned away. “I don't eat leaves,” he said.
Little Kanine's ears flopped down. He ate his leaves quietly. “I can show you my
friends,” he said softly.
But the buck snorted at his words. An expression of displeasure masked his face.
That chance was too good to waste. Little Kanine hopped right over to the buck and
patted his paws against the others hoof. 'I like you,' he wanted to say. 'Be my
friend. I want you to be with me. Please do not leave my side, I am scared. I enjoy
your company.' But instead, the little runt mewled out, “Come to the Firefly
Festival with me.”
The buck looked down to his hoof. “Firefly Festival?” he asked.
Little Kanine nodded frantically. “Please, will you not come with me? You can meet
my friends.” he practically begged.
“I don't know,” said the buck.
Saddened by those words, Little Kanine began to hop across the river back to his tall
grass.
“Vekka,” the buck called.
“What?” Little Kanine called back.
“My name.” And with that, Vekka stood from his grass and began to munch on a low
branch from one of the redwood trees.
~ ~ ~
The following evening began the start of the Firefly Festival. Past the thick forest
rested a cliff with a vast ocean glistening below. The reflection of the stark,
lambent moon danced along the soft waves of the water. “Is this not nice?” Little
Kanine said softly as he held a twig twice his size close to his furry body. “We
get to watch the fireflies together upon this lovely night.” He looked to the left,
then the right, but what he sought was far from his reach. Hot tears began to well
within his onyx eyes. “No,” he bit out through his teeth. “I do not like to
cry, do not submit to tears.” Sadly, the tiny thing wept under the black canvass of
the sky with specks of stars littering the amorphous darkness. Oh how he wished for
someone dear to him to sit by his side.
“Where are your friends?” asked a quiet voice.
It started Little Kanine and he jumped to his feet. As he turned around, the head of
a buck approached his person. “Vekka,” he said, sniffling softly. “I demand for
you to not see me in such a state.”
But Vekka refused to obey. He sat beside Little Kanine and stared out into the ocean.
“Where are your friends?” he asked again.
Holding up one twig at a time, Little Kanine showed the buck his friends. All of them
had names, the most common to the most unique. Even Mama and Papa was a twig as he
proudly showed Vekka the objects. In truth, the Yelva region had, too, been wiped
clean of life.
Vekka slowly nodded. “Lovely friends and family you have,” he said.
Little Kanine nodded. His cheeks darkened once more. “I had made something for
you,” he said shyly. “It took most of the morning and afternoon and evening the
day before, but I have perfected my creation. I really do hope that you like it.”
Puzzled, Vekka asked, “Where is it?”
To that, Little Kanine dashed away and came back in an instant with his tiny paws
cupped together. He tried with all his might to wobble over to Vekka and held out his
closed paws as far as he can reach. “Go ahead,” he said with his heart beating so
fast that he thought it would rip right out from his chest.
Vekka slowly looked down and just as his nose pressed against Little Kanine's paws,
they pulled away and the miniscule rabbit established a kiss upon the buck's cold wet
nose.
Stunned by the act, Vekka froze up and stared at the little rabbit. “Why did you do
that?” he asked.
“I love you.”

Last edited: 28 November 2011

The following people said "Hello!" because they enjoyed reading the diary:.....